HCMC - The four Vietnam Airlines flight attendants carrying nearly 11.5 kg of illicit drugs on an international flight from Paris to HCMC may be dismissed as they violated civil aviation regulations.

Although the four attendants were released from police custody, they will still face sanctions from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam under Circular 46/2013 on disciplinary measures against law-breaking aviation employees. They may not continue working in the aviation industry as they are involved in a drug smuggling case even though the police have found no grounds to file criminal charges against them. Vietnam Airlines said that it would come up with appropriate action based on the police investigation. CAAV has requested the relevant units to review their internal management and regulations to prevent smuggling and trade fraud in the aviation industry. Airlines are responsible for regularly carrying out internal checks and randomly inspect the luggage of flight crews before and after flights, as well as strictly handle violations. Customs officials at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport detected the illicit drugs hidden in toothpaste tubes when they scanned the carry-on bags of the four attendants after their arrival on March 16. After four days of being detained, the four attendants were freed but they are required to cooperate with the police in the ongoing investigation of the case. Initial investigation results showed that the attendants were unaware that the illicit drugs were hidden in the “toothpaste tubes” boxes they were carrying from France to Vietnam. The police are expanding the investigation and local news reports said two suspects have been detained but their identities are unknown.